A dog could be a baby’s best friend, according to a study published in a medical journal. Infants living in households with dogs were healthier and had fewer ear infections than those without a dog, the study found. Researchers also discovered that cats appeared to offer some protection, but the link wasn’t as strong. The study, posted online Monday and based on 397 children who lived in rural and suburban parts of Finland, examined whether contact with dogs and cats during a baby’s first year offers any protection from colds and resulting common ear infections.“The children with dogs at home were healthier – they had fewer ear infections, and they needed less antibiotics (抗生素),” said the study’s lead author. One measure showed children with dogs were reported as being healthy for about 73 percent of the time, based on weekly questionnaires, compared with about 65 percent of children with no dog contact at home.While the study tracked just under 400 babies, the researchers said the results were statistically significant because it relied on weekly questionnaires filled out by parents. The lead author explained that children who lived in households where dogs spent 18 or more hours a day outside showed the most healthy days, fewer fevers, and the least use of antibiotics compared with babies with no dog at home. One theory is that dogs that spend a lot of time outside likely bring more dirt and bacteria inside the home compared with dogs and cats that spend more time indoors, she said. Researchers believe that exposure to dirt and bacteria builds up babies’ immune systems.The children’s parents were given weekly questionnaires from the time their babies were nine weeks old until they were one year old. The questionnaires asked if the children had been “hale (健壮的) and hearty” in the past seven days. Families were also asked each week if they had a dog or a cat at home and how much time the animals spent outside.The study results were tabulated (列成表格), looking at responses on the weekly questionnaires rather than individual children. Researchers analyzed the data in different ways to rule out other factors that could influence infection rates, like breastfeeding, low birth weight, the number of siblings, and whether mothers smoked during pregnancy.1. What has been found in a study published in a medical journal?A. Infants living in households with cats are healthier than those with dogs.B. Living with pets can prevent infants from colds and ear infections.C. Infants living with dogs in suburban areas are healthier than those living in rural areas.D. There is a strong link between infants living with dogs and their health conditions.2. How did the researchers explain the findings of their study?A. Dogs that spend a lot of time outside help enhance infants’ immune systems.B. The outdoor exposure of infants to dirt and bacteria is helpful to their health.C. Contact with dogs has a positive impact on children’s health, especially those that spend more time at home.D. Dogs and cats that spend much time indoors help build up babies’ immune systems.3. What does the passage tell us about the questionnaires used in the study?A. They required the parents to report whether their dogs or cats were healthy in the past week.B. They were filled out by parents each week after the babies were born.C. They had to be filled out by parents until their babies were one year old.D. They asked parents to report how much time they had a dog or cat at home.4. How did the researchers analyze the data according to the passage?A. They listed in the tables other factors that could not influence infection rates.B. They analyzed the data by looking at the responses of individual children.C. They used different ways to exclude the irrelevant factors that may affect the results.D. They took many factors into consideration in analyzing the data.5. What do we learn from the passage?A. The researchers found that weekly questionnaires were an unreliable method for tracking the health of infants.B. The more time dogs spend outside, the better they can protect children’s health.C. The study samples are big enough to cover children in both rural and urban areas.D. We should keep more dogs indoors to benefit children’s health.

A dog could be a baby’s best friend, according to a study published in a medical journal. Infants living in households with dogs were healthier and had fewer ear infections than those without a dog, the study found. Researchers also discovered that cats appeared to offer some protection, but the link wasn’t as strong. The study, posted online Monday and based on 397 children who lived in rural and suburban parts of Finland, examined whether contact with dogs and cats during a baby’s first year offers any protection from colds and resulting common ear infections. “The children with dogs at home were healthier – they had fewer ear infections, and they needed less antibiotics (抗生素),” said the study’s lead author. One measure showed children with dogs were reported as being healthy for about 73 percent of the time, based on weekly questionnaires, compared with about 65 percent of children with no dog contact at home. While the study tracked just under 400 babies, the researchers said the results were statistically significant because it relied on weekly questionnaires filled out by parents. The lead author explained that children who lived in households where dogs spent 18 or more hours a day outside showed the most healthy days, fewer fevers, and the least use of antibiotics compared with babies with no dog at home. One theory is that dogs that spend a lot of time outside likely bring more dirt and bacteria inside the home compared with dogs and cats that spend more time indoors, she said. Researchers believe that exposure to dirt and bacteria builds up babies’ immune systems. The children’s parents were given weekly questionnaires from the time their babies were nine weeks old until they were one year old. The questionnaires asked if the children had been “hale (健壮的) and hearty” in the past seven days. Families were also asked each week if they had a dog or a cat at home and how much time the animals spent outside. The study results were tabulated (列成表格), looking at responses on the weekly questionnaires rather than individual children. Researchers analyzed the data in different ways to rule out other factors that could influence infection rates, like breastfeeding, low birth weight, the number of siblings, and whether mothers smoked during pregnancy. 1. What has been found in a study published in a medical journal? A. Infants living in households with cats are healthier than those with dogs. B. Living with pets can prevent infants from colds and ear infections. C. Infants living with dogs in suburban areas are healthier than those living in rural areas. D. There is a strong link between infants living with dogs and their health conditions. 2. How did the researchers explain the findings of their study? A. Dogs that spend a lot of time outside help enhance infants’ immune systems. B. The outdoor exposure of infants to dirt and bacteria is helpful to their health. C. Contact with dogs has a positive impact on children’s health, especially those that spend more time at home. D. Dogs and cats that spend much time indoors help build up babies’ immune systems. 3. What does the passage tell us about the questionnaires used in the study? A. They required the parents to report whether their dogs or cats were healthy in the past week. B. They were filled out by parents each week after the babies were born. C. They had to be filled out by parents until their babies were one year old. D. They asked parents to report how much time they had a dog or cat at home. 4. How did the researchers analyze the data according to the passage? A. They listed in the tables other factors that could not influence infection rates. B. They analyzed the data by looking at the responses of individual children. C. They used different ways to exclude the irrelevant factors that may affect the results. D. They took many factors into consideration in analyzing the data. 5. What do we learn from the passage? A. The researchers found that weekly questionnaires were an unreliable method for tracking the health of infants. B. The more time dogs spend outside, the better they can protect children’s health. C. The study samples are big enough to cover children in both rural and urban areas. D. We should keep more dogs indoors to benefit children’s health.